It is known from prior art U.S. patents; e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,206,962, 4,603,320 and 4,686,506, to incorporate an electronic component within an electrical connector to act upon the signals passing therethrough. For example, the connector disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,962 includes terminals at opposite ends of a housing with electronic devices positioned therebetween and electrically engaged with the respective terminals. The electronic devices may include integrated circuit chips, resistors and the like for modifying electrical signals. Whereas electronic components can be replaced in the connector of '962, the replaced components must be compatible with the terminals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,320 discloses a similar connector wherein the electronic component, which converts incoming data from one format to another before being routed onto a second data handling system, are mounted on a printed circuit board. In this known connector, however, the circuit board is fixed as an integral part of the connector and accordingly the electronic components cannot be replaced.
Accordingly, it is now proposed to provide an assembly containing an easily removable circuit card and/or the electronic components thereon.